Cine Majestic / Carpentry Shop, Habana Vieja 2004

Editor: This photograph by Stan Douglas, titled *Cine Majestic / Carpentry Shop, Habana Vieja*, captures what looks like a decaying theater now used as a workshop. It has a melancholic feel. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the shifting functions of spaces within post-revolutionary Cuba. The juxtaposition of the grandeur of the old cinema with the mundane reality of the carpentry shop speaks volumes about the socio-economic changes and the repurposing of cultural institutions. How does this make you feel? Editor: It's thought-provoking. I hadn't considered the political context, but now I see how the decay and the repurposing are symbolic. I appreciate the historical background behind the image, thanks. Curator: Considering the cultural context allows us to appreciate how Douglas uses visual media to explore how places carry the weight of history and social change.